Expanding file



Jan. 28, 1930. G. E. DouGHTY EXPANDING FILE Filed Aug. 8. 192e INVENTOR fw-L@ @fg-@L By Attorneys,

Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE E. DOUGrI-ITY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE COOKE & COBB COMPANY OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK EXPANDING FILE Application` filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,161.

The present invention relates to expanding files or the like and aims to provide certain improvements therein.

I-Ieretofore in les of the types to which the present invention relates, diiliculty has always been encountered in maintaining the file in expanded position during the period of filing papers therein, due to the inherent tendency of the file pockets to collapse, or of said file pockets, when loaded with papers, to assume a` fan-like formation. These propensities retarded the filing operations, and various de- Vices have been proposed to overcome them but said devices have met with but a limited degree of success.

According to the present invention I provide an exceedingly simple method and means of overcoming these objections and of expediting the filing operations by building into or attaching to the expansible walls of the file, means which will temporarily hold said walls in any setposition or in securing to the partition sheets of the file an accordion-plaited member which has the property of assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set, to hold said sheets in spaced relation. Preferably, the means which I employ are embodied in or attached to the eXpansible walls during their formation and prior to their as semblyin the file, and consist of one or more metallic elements or ribbons which have the property of temporarily assuming any shape to which they are set, and possess sucient setting power to also maintain the walls to which they are attached, in any set position. These elements or ribbons will also serve to reinforce the expansible walls of the file and thus give to the file a longer period of usefulness. The invention also embodies other features of novelty which will be hereinafter more fully described.

Certain preferred embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure l is a perspective view of`a file with parts broken away, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a fractional elevation of one of the side walls of the le with parts broken away, taken substantially along the plane of the line 3 3. i

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a le in collapsed position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a slightly modified form of one of the walls, of a file embodying` my invention before being accordion plaited.

Referring to the drawings, let A indicate an expandi'ble file of any approved design comprising stiH end members B and B connected together by bellows-like or accordionplaited side walls C and C and bottom wall D and provided with partition sheets E connecting said side walls and forming filing pockets F. The file elements thus far described may be of any conventional material and construction.

According to the present invention I incorporate within or attach to the walls C, C and D means which have the property of temporarily assuming any shape to which they are set and possessing suflicient setting power to also maintain the walls of the file in suoli set position. lVhile it is within the purview of my invention to employ any means which will accomplish this end, I have found by experimentation, and therefore prefer, that these means take the form of thin, metallic ribbons Gr, preferably of soft brass. In practice, any number of such ribbons may be employed in each of the expandible walls, but I have found that ordinarily one such ribbon positioned approximately midway between the edges ofthe walls is sufficient.

The ribbons G may be secured to the walls in any preferred manner and I have herein shown two ways of accomplishing this. In Figs. 1 to 3 the ribbon G is secured to the walls C, C and D through the medium of any suitable adhesive, and is further held in such position through the medium of a strip I-I which is adhesively secured to both the ribbon and the inner face of the wall members.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a wall member composed of a sheet 0f woven fabric J to which is adhesively secured a contiguous sheet of paper or similar material K, and between which sheets there is interposed and adhesive- 1y secured to each the metallic ribbon G. I find it most practicable to first form these wall members from flat material, which, after being assembled into composite sheets, are accordion-plaited prior to assembling into the file. I have also found that the ribbons Gr offer a greater resistance to the opening of the lower portion of the file than the upper portion thereof; hence I have found it practicable to provide gripping means whereby the force applied to opening the file may be exerted below the top edge thereof. As an example of such gripping means I have shown a pair of ribbon loops L, one located and attached to each end of the file.

The expanding file embodying the features of my invention, it will be at once apparent, not only possesses the advantage of remaining temporarily set in any expanded position, but also is capable of a longer period of usefulness because of the fact that the metallic ribbons G also function as reinforcing members for the side walls.

As a means of further expediting and facilitating the filing operations with a file of the type described, I have found that this can be accomplished by providing on the partition sheets E adjacent and inwardly of the top edges thereof, indices e and cut-out portions e in spaced relation to the indices, said indices and cut-out portions being so related that the indices on adjacent sheets will be arranged in staggered relation, and the cutout portions will be in coincident relation with the indices on adj aeent sheets to readily expose said indices to view. As shown in the drawings, I have provided two groups of sheets, one with the indices and the cut-out portions at a certain distance from the vertical edges thereof, and the other group with the indices and the cut-out portions at a different distance from that of the first group with respect to the edge of the sheets, and said sheets are alternately arranged in the filing device so that a cut-out edge portion of one sheet lies in front of an index on its adjacent sheet.

While I have shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the specific forms illustrated, since modifications thereof may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A filing device or the like, having a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall comprising a. member which is adapted to assume any degree of expansion to which it is set, and thus hold said wall in said position, until it is reset by the exercise of force thereon.

2. A filing device or the like, having a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall, comprising a member which is adapted to assume any degree of expansion to which it is set, independently of auxiliary holding means.

3. A filing device or the like having a plurality of sheets connected by an accordionplaited member including means for holding the same at any degree of expansion to which it is set, to hold said sheets in spaced relation until said member is reset by the exercise of force thereon.

4. A filing device or the like having a plurality of sheets connected by an accordionplaited member which comprises a metallic element having the property of temporarily assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set, to hold said sheets in spaced relation.

5. A filing device or the like comprising a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall having an accordion-plaitcd member extending transversely of the wall folds, said member having the property of assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set and of holding said wall at the same degree of expansion.

6. A iiling device or the like comprising a bellows-like or accordion-plaited Wall having an accordion-plaited ribbon extending transversely of the wall folds, said ribbon having the property cf assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set and of holding said wall at the same degree of expansion.

7. A filing device or the like comprising a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall having an accordion-plaited metallic ribbon extending transversely of the wall folds, and coextensive with the length of said wall.

8. A filingf device or the like comprising a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall of fibrous material to which is secured an accordion-plaited metallic ribbon with its plaits coinciding with the plaits of the wall.

9. A filing device or the like comprising a bellows-like or accordion-plaited wall formed in parts of a double wall of fibrous material, between which is secured an accordion-plaited metallic ribbon with its plaits coinciding with the plaits of the wall.

10. The method of forming an accordionplaited sheet which has the property of assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set, which comprises securing to the face of a sheet of fibrous material a thin, fiat metallic ribbon and then accordion-plaiting the composite sheet.

11. The method of forming an accordionplaited sheet which has the property of assuming any degree of expansion to which it is set, which comprises securing to the face of a sheet of fibrous material a thin, flat, rnetallic ribbon, then securing a second sheet of fibrous material to both the ribbon and the first sheet to enclose said ribbon between s'aid sheets, and then accordion-plaiting the composite sheet.

12. A filing device or the like comprising a plurality of sheets connected by accordionplaited side and bottom walls to form pockets, each sheet having a tiling index adjacent its top edge inwardly of said edge and a cutont portion in said edge in spaced relation to the index, the indices on adjacent sheets being arranged in staggered relation and the cut-out portions being in coincident relation With the index portions of adjacent sheets to readily expose said indices to View.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my nalne.

GEORGE E. DOUGHTY. 

